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Butler Says Woodley is "Where We Need to Have Him"

Woodley playing up to form is crucial for this team, both this year and moving forward. His cap number, especially with all the restructurings, makes it essential that he perform like he did in the past.

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley loves to rush the quarterback. It’s what he excels at. It’s what he does. It’s his passion.

His hope is he gets to do it a lot more this year.

Woodley said last year he rushed the quarterback about 50 percent of the time on passing downs, dropping back in coverage the other 50 percent. He wants to see the scale tip more in favor of rushing this year.

“They pay me to rush, so hopefully I will be rushing and not covering receivers and tight ends down the field,” said Woodley. “I felt like I dropped back a lot last year, but that was the scheme. I would like to get back to doing more rushing.”

Woodley finished the 2012 season with four sacks, with a hamstring injury and high ankle sprain contributing to that number being down from nine in 2011. This year he wants to bring the sack numbers back up again.

“My game is predicated on sacks and this defense is predicated on getting to the quarterback, making him make bad decisions and allowing our secondary to make plays,” said Woodley. “I am asked to drop more. Other outside linebackers rush more. When my number is called I just have to make it count.”

Woodley is going to have someone different lining up outside with him this year after James Harrison wasn’t retained and then went on to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals. Whether it’s veteran Jason Worilds or rookie Jarvis Jones that steps up, getting both to develop is going to be a key.

“It’s definitely important,” said Woodley. “Here in Pittsburgh outside linebackers play off one another. When there are two good ones here they have a lot of sacks and help the team out because you can’t just focus on one guy.”

Woodley likes what he has seen so far from Jones in camp, even though it’s just a few days in.

“He looked good, not just in backs-on-backers,” said Woodley. “Going against our offense he is looking good, dropping back in coverage, rushing the quarterback. We went against the offensive line in one-on-one pass rush and he did a great job.”

Linebacker LaMarr Woodley loves to rush the quarterback. It’s what he excels at. It’s what he does. It’s his passion.

His hope is he gets to do it a lot more this year.

Woodley said last year he rushed the quarterback about 50 percent of the time on passing downs, dropping back in coverage the other 50 percent. He wants to see the scale tip more in favor of rushing this year.

“They pay me to rush, so hopefully I will be rushing and not covering receivers and tight ends down the field,” said Woodley. “I felt like I dropped back a lot last year, but that was the scheme. I would like to get back to doing more rushing.”

Woodley finished the 2012 season with four sacks, with a hamstring injury and high ankle sprain contributing to that number being down from nine in 2011. This year he wants to bring the sack numbers back up again.

“My game is predicated on sacks and this defense is predicated on getting to the quarterback, making him make bad decisions and allowing our secondary to make plays,” said Woodley. “I am asked to drop more. Other outside linebackers rush more. When my number is called I just have to make it count.”

Woodley is going to have someone different lining up outside with him this year after James Harrison wasn’t retained and then went on to sign with the Cincinnati Bengals. Whether it’s veteran Jason Worilds or rookie Jarvis Jones that steps up, getting both to develop is going to be a key.

“It’s definitely important,” said Woodley. “Here in Pittsburgh outside linebackers play off one another. When there are two good ones here they have a lot of sacks and help the team out because you can’t just focus on one guy.”

Woodley likes what he has seen so far from Jones in camp, even though it’s just a few days in.

“He looked good, not just in backs-on-backers,” said Woodley. “Going against our offense he is looking good, dropping back in coverage, rushing the quarterback. We went against the offensive line in one-on-one pass rush and he did a great job.”

Let's face it, like I have said for a few years now Woodley is a DE pretending to be a OLB. If he is dropping into coverage we are wasting the strongest part of his game. Let Woodley rush more and watch the injuries go away. His body isn't made for chasing RBs in pass patterns.

Playing Fantasy Football does not qualify you to be the in the front office or on the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are professionals and you are not!

Let's face it, like I have said for a few years now Woodley is a DE pretending to be a OLB. If he is dropping into coverage we are wasting the strongest part of his game. Let Woodley rush more and watch the injuries go away. His body isn't made for chasing RBs in pass patterns.

Nobody is really saying that except for you. And, looking at the numbers, Woodley was in coverage less last year than he was in 2010, when he recorded 10 sacks, 2 picks, 3 FF.

Ed Bouchette ‏@EdBouchette28m“@FBALL_Andrea: @EdBouchette According to @PFF, Woodley had 135 coverage snaps last year, 104 in 2011 and 204 in 2010." ...Missed 1/2 of '11

Nobody is really saying that except for you. And, looking at the numbers, Woodley was in coverage less last year than he was in 2010, when he recorded 10 sacks, 2 picks, 3 FF.

Nice numbers making the point well.
Heck we drop DLinemen into coverage, this is nothing new.
The key to our defense is YOU DONT KNOW WHO is coming, thus Woodley like EVERYONE ELSE needs to do his share of drop backs.

Truth as you show above is the issue is not fewer opportunities but it was a lack of EFFECTIVENESS.

Nobody is really saying that except for you. And, looking at the numbers, Woodley was in coverage less last year than he was in 2010, when he recorded 10 sacks, 2 picks, 3 FF.

Read Woodley's words in the article. He isn't buying it.

“My game is predicated on sacks and this defense is predicated on getting to the quarterback, making him make bad decisions and allowing our secondary to make plays,” said Woodley. “I am asked to drop more. Other outside linebackers rush more. When my number is called I just have to make it count.”

Playing Fantasy Football does not qualify you to be the in the front office or on the coaching staff of the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are professionals and you are not!